Thomas humphrey



(No Model.)

T. HUMPHREY.

HEAD REST FOR HAMMOGKS.

Patented Jan. 1l, 1887.

Unire rares Aralar rrrce,

THOMAS HUMPHREY, OF NEW BRIGHTON, NEV YORK.

HEAD-REST FOR HA'lVl lVlOCKS.

SPECIFICATION forming'part of Letters Patent No. 355,873, dated January 1l, 1887.

Application filed August 23, 1886. Serial No. 211,621. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, THoMiis HUMPHREY, of New Brighton, in the county of Richmond and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Head-Rests for Hammocks, of which the following is a specilcation.

In most hammocks there is employed a hammock-spreader, extending transversely across the hammock, and serving by engagement with the suspension-cords to keep the hammock spread out and prevent it from closing around the body.

My invention. relates to head-rests which are supportedfrom the ends of the spreader, and therefore have no direct connection with the hammock proper. It has been proposed to insert through the curved bar which constitutes the spreader, and near each end thereof, a metal eye, from which the end of the headrest is hung by a triangular wire.

The object of my invention is to provide attachments for the head-rest, which are of such nature that they may be applied directly to the ends of a spreaderwithout having to bore the same, and without having to secure therein, by riveting or otherwise, any eyes or other devices.

In carrying out my invention I apply to each end of the spreader a cap or end piece which has its length transverse to the length of the spreader, and which is constructed with a socket adapted to slip upon the extreme end of the spreader, and from opposite ends of these caps or end pieces the connections extend in pairs to the ends of the head-rest.

Theinvention consists in novel combinations of parts, which are hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is4 a side view of the end portions of a hammockspreader and a head-rest supported therefrom and embodying my invention, the flexible connections and the central portion of the spreader being broken away to enable the drawing to be made upon a larger scale. Fig.'2`isa plan of the parts shown in Fig. l. Fig. 3 represents one end portion of the spreader and a transverse section of the cap or end piece which, is secured thereon. Fig. 4 represents an end vie'w of the spreader and a cap or end piece of modified form secured thereon; and

drawings.

through it, at opposite sides, cords or other eXible connections, whereby it is supported, and which may be adjusted on such cords or flexible connections lengthwise thereof.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the tigures.

In Figs. l and 2 I have shown a slightlydifferent construction of the head-rest supports which are applied to the opposite ends of the spreader; but both the constructions Fig. 5 is a plan of a head-rest which receives I there shown are included in my invention,

transverse section, and is provided with holding devices for the suspension-cords of the hammock. These holding devices may be of any suitable character; but in the spreader here represented I have shown dovetailed or undercut notches b for receiving the groups of cords, such notches constituting holding devices, which are formed integral with the spreader, and without the addition to the spreader of other parts. character is shown and described in my pending application for United States Patent, Serial No. 210,772, led August 13, 1886, and is not claimed as a part of this invention. It will be understood that my head-rest and its supports may be adapted for application to spreaders of any of the kinds ordinarily in use.

C designates caps or end pieces, which are or may be made of Acast metal, and which are applied one to cach of the ends of thespreader B. In the construction here illustrated, and which I deem preferable, the cap or end piece is constructed with a socket, @,which receives within it the end of the spreader B, the cap being thereby adapted to be readily slipped upon and removed from the end of the spreader without having any permanent connection A spreader of this IOO therewith. This socket may not extend entil-ely through the cap C; but the metal of the cap may be continuous over the end of the spreader, as shown at the left hand of Figs. l and 2 and in Fig. 3; or I may form a slight shoulder upon the end of the spreader, as shown at b at the right hand of Figs. l and 2 and in Fig. 4, and in such ease the cap C will be held in proper position by resting upon the shoulder b. l

Flexible connections extend in pairs from each end of the head-rest A to the caps or end pieces, C, and I have shown all the caps `or end pieces as provided with eyes c to receive such connections.

As represented at the left hand of Figs. l and 2, the connections D are formed by a single cord, which may be of textile material or of twisted wire, or a single stiff wire of proper` size might be used. The ends of the cord or wire forming the connection D are tied in perforations or holes s in the head-rest A, and the cord or wire passes from the head-rest through the eyes c and around the back of the cap or end piece, C, between the eyes. As here shown, the cap or end piece, C, has extending along its back and between the eyes c a groove or concave seat, c2, which receives the cord or wire 4D and retains the latter in place.

At the right hand of Figs. l and 2 I have shown` connections D, consisting oi' spiral springs, which are secured at one end in the perforations or holes s of the head-rest, and are at the opposite end secured in the eyes c of the cap or end piece, C. 1 rlhe perforations or holes s in the head-rest A may be re-enforced by eyelets inserted therein; or, it' desired, a strip of metal may be secured in the hem at each end of the head-rest, as is shown by dotted lines at one end of the head-festin Fig. 2.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a head-rest, A,which is supported by cords or flexible connections D, and in this iigure the connections D not onlyY extend from opposite ends of the head-rest, but also extend through heins e, formed at opposite sides of the head-rest and receiving the cords through them. Vhen the head-rest is thus combined with the connections D it may be adjusted upon them in the direction of their length and in a direction transverse of the hammock, so that it may be brought nearer one side or the other thereof, as may be desired.

I am aware that it is not new to support a hammock head-rest by means of a wire hanger at each end, attached by an eye to the spreader near its end, and I do not, therefore, include such a construction in my invention.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by'Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a hammock headrest, of caps or end pieces adapted for attachment to the ends of a spreader, so as to stand with their length transverse to the length of the spreader, and cords or flexible connections extending in pairs from the opposite ends of the caps or end pieces to the ends of theheadrest, substantially as herein described. i 2. The coinbi1iation;with a hammock headrest, of end pieces or caps, each having a socket, whereby it is adapted to slip over the end of the hammock-spreader, so as to be retained with its length transverse to the length of the spreader, and also havingV eyes at its opposite ends and flexible connections extending in pairs from the eyes at opposite ends of the caps or end pieces to the ends of the head-rest, substantially as herein described.

3. The combination, with ahammock headrest and flexible connections extending from its oppositeends, of caps or end pieces, eachhaving a socket, whereby it is adapted to slip over the end of a hammock-spreader, and whereby it is retained with its length transverse to the length of the spreader, and having at the back a concave seat, c2, for receiving and retaining the iexible connections extending from the end of the l1ead-rest,snb stantially as herein described.

4. The combination, with a hammock headrest and iexible connections extending from opposite ends thereof, of the caps or end pieces, C, each having a socket, c, to receive the end of a hammock-spreader, and having eyes c at opposite ends, and a concave seat or groove, c2, extending along its back between the eyes, substantially as herein described.

5. The combination, with caps or end pieces, C, constructed with sockets, whereby they are adapted to slip over the ends of a hammockspreader, of cords or iiexible connections which are continuous between the ends of the opposite caps or end pieces, and the head-rest supported by the cords or flexible connections and adjustable lengthwise upon them independently. of any lengthwise adj ustxnent of the cords or flexible connections themselves, substantially as herein described.

6. The combination, with ahamniock headrest, of end pieces or caps constructed with sockets, whereby they are adapted to sIi p over the end of a hammock-spreader, and wire springs extending in pairs froinithe opposite ends ofthe end pieces or caps, and forming iexible and elastic connections between the' ends of the head-rest and the end pieces or caps, substantially as herein described.

THOMAS HUMPHREY. Witnesses:

C. HALL, MINnRr LINDEMAN.

ICO

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